Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-01-11
A DEAD SHOT.
Az TscrprSr ~ 1901.

haps worth putting on record bse'a'e
the narrative /. i.',rie,ly true
In the year 1901, fine old Jaeooin
house. known as Cha,ford House, 'iiua.
ted on the borders OF Devon aud Somer.
se,. ". in the occupation Of Mr.. Ed'
ward Legg,ii. . wealthy farmer, and bis
two sons. The hcr.e like maay OF i,'
class. had originally been bulk % that
IL. ground plan formed the letter & a
centre. With projecting doorway. and
t~o wings; bu, one wing had been Ia
ken down altogether. az well ra portion
Of the other. % that the grOund.plsn be-
came thereby altered and took the form.
r, the centre doorway remaining un.
touched. Th. should be remembered.
In order TO understand the eireums,anee'
, Of the principal incident Of the narrative.
ovsr.,he projecting doorway ". room
which wen, by the name Of the "OrA'
tory" probably on account Of ii' large
projecting bay window. which gave u
somewhat Of an ecclesiastical appearance
and nom this window . view could be
obtained on all ,lde. The small part Of
the wing which va. lef, standing was
used a. .,orsroom.. and Aees. from the
outside was gained by . small door.
which had been injadieiou.ly oPened in
the corner. OF angle. when the aliera-
ton. were made.
Mr.. Lsgs,,, possessed large quantity
Of hne old massive silver plate. which was
placed in one Of the s,oreroom'. ',rongly
secured and locked, In the remains OF
the wing referred TO. !, ". supposed
that he bad also a considerable sum OF
monsy locked up with the plate, /. bank
ing WI. no, 90 common Ia remote eolo-
try place. in those days.
Nov Il happened that. on tho 2Ji OF
April. 1901, Mr.. Legge,, aud hi, two
son. had 20 attend a nsishborina cattle
fair. and had proposed sleeping IN the
town Instead Of returning home the same
night; but. a good customer having AZ
ranged TO complete a purchase early the
nsxi morning. Mr. Legge,,' eldes, ,on,
Georse. came back to Chaiiord very late
and wen, quietly TO bed but the worry
Of the fair. aud anxiety aboa, ,o'mof'
row. purchase. prevented him sleeping.
III. bed room was =, the end Of the
house. close TO the store wing. aud jis'
above the little door in the angle already
mentioned. Whilst res,lessly ,ossins
around from side to eide, Young lesge,,
heard the clock strike ,wo. and just AZ
,erwari became aware Of a peculiar graf.
log noise. apparently under hi, window.
To Jump up and cautiously aud silently
omen the easement va. the work OF .
minute. IL was = cloudy moonlight
night. ja., lish, enough 10 shos oejee.
imperfecily. bat enough fcr George Leg
get, 10 observe the figures Of two men
close 20 the little door Ia the angle in
media,sly below. oa which they were
apparently operating with some cutting
tool. which bad produced the grating
noise be had heard. George, Who ~As
Young man Of gre., Intelligence. quick
judgment. aud ready resource. instantly
eomprehending the situation. took his
measure. accordingly. lie hsPPened to
be member II the county ieomAnfy
cavalry and catching up his esrAeine
and some ball cartridges. he silently lsis
hi. room. and proceeding down the cor
rdor-loading hi. earabine n he wen.
slong-.oon reached the "Ora'ory
room over the porch. whence he could
see .,rsish, down on TO the little door,
which wa. then rish, in iron, OF him
Silently opening the easement. he made
a careful survey Of the position. which a
passing ray Of mOonligh, enabled him TO
take in at . glance
A, the little white. e.pain,ed door were
the two men. whose dark figures were
we'll thrown up by so light a background
One va. stopping or kneeling. and the
other WAS standing close behind him.
their backs, Of course, being turned to-
ward. their observer. & Pa,,insIhi' car.
abine on the window sill. after a dsliber-
ate aim. Lsgge,, pressed the trigger. A
loud shrek and a s,iAsd cry Gollowed'
then all wa. still Lsgse,, stood in
,en,ly watching the .po, for several mo.
m.nis bu, profound silence prevailed
no, a sound va. heard, not a move
men, wa. percep,ible. The only other
man in the house was the groom, who
was quickly reused and lanterns hav'
ing been procured, be and Lsggeti re-
paired TO the spot. and were not little
staggered to lind both burglars lying
dead. The hand Of one OF them still
grasped a very large steel een,re-bit,
with which he had been operating on
the door. sabsequen, surgical inves,i.
CATION showed ,hs, the bullet had
struck the back Of the first man. passing
through his heart. and had then entered
the head Of the man who was stopping OF
kneeling in from, Of him, jus, behind the
ear. lodging in the brain. The bodies
were a, once removed indoors and .,
the inquest. held the nex, day. the fol-
lowing particulars were elected
BY the side Of ,he.d dead men VAS found
q leather travelling pOrimsn,eau. con-
tanning = highly finished and elaborate
set Of house.breaking tools. together
With . piece OF candle aud = preparation
Of phosphorus for obtaining a light. as
| |, Is needles. to say that lacifer matches
were unknown In 1901, their place be-
ing supplied by the old.fsshioned flint
and sisel and ,inder.box, articles not
available for burglar use. Each man
was armed with a brace Of pocket pistols
loaded and primsd; and one Of them
carried . misunderstanding dagger. fit-
ted into the breast OF his coat; clearly
showing tha, these rufiisns were prepar.
ed to oifsr desperate resistance, II in.
terrup,ed or molested. They were both
we'll dressed. and had quite the appear.
ance Of gentlemen. Each possessed :
good watch and seals. and carried vel
filed purse. One only had . pocket
book. containing many pspen. chiefly
relating to money matters and betting
transactions; but only one letter. ~hieh
however. pro-sd OF immense importance
In th,oviny lieht ON the lives and char